newbie @ portals

[stejud_pu]

I have been in database development for 15+ years but have just acquired a client that is using FM5 to manage some major functions in his business. I know I should do some more research before posting here but time won't allow it.

Issue: His main database contains information regarding his clients, ie billing, contact info etc. These records are accessed via an 'event number' which is formatted 'MMDDnnnn' where nnnn is a sequential number from 0001 to 9999. (example 06021591)

As part of his normal business procedure he also keeps scanned and faxed documents and photos in another application (PaperPort). His 'product' is this PP collection of info which is eventually emailed and or printed and snail-mailed to his clients. These docs are named using the 'nnnn' from the event number mentioned above (in this example - 1591.max where max is the default extension for PP files).

I have been asked if I can tie the file name for the PP doc into the layout screen for the 'event' page in FM. While it is fairly straightforward to embed the file itself into a container or layout I do not want the PP docs to become a part of FM, only the reference to that file.

I want FM to calc the name based on the event number (middle(eventno,5,3)+'.max') to be displayed on the layout screen. When the user clicks this name FM opens PP with the named file in focus.

An additional feature would be to have the ability to display a range of files matching a 'normal' file spec with the use of ? and * wildcards. In this case FM would take the fspec and go do a dir of the folder containgn the docs and return only the matching names to be selected from.

Is this something a portal would be used for? If this is not the right group please redirect me.

thanks

Steve

[Fitch]

A portal provides a way to view related records, that's about it. It's not necessarily relevant to your problem. You might have a look in the Importing & Exporting forum, or perhaps Sights & Sounds. You may find something at comp.databases.filemaker if you search for "directory path" or something like that. FileMaker 6 has some features for dealing with linking a folder full of files, but I haven't messed with it yet. You may find a plugin does what you want, I'm almost certain Troi File can do it. Sorry I don't have a specific answer for you.

[Kurt Knippel]

The Troi File plugin is exactly what you need. It can open a file based on a path/filename reference. Of course you will need to figure out what the path to the files are, but that should all be in some kind of locical organization, which can simply be added to your calculation. Then you just format the field on the layout to look like a hyperlink (colored and underlined) and make it a button which runs a script which uses the File plugin to launch the file.

It is a pretty straigt-forward procedure once you have the plugin.

[stejud_pu]

I got the PP application to launch by;

1. Defining a field for the layout which parses the event number and concatenates that to the directory and extension test to display the (expected) PP file name. Set this as a button (with blue underlined text, thanks captkurt) to run a script.

2. Writing a script which contains an 'open url' command using the field value from above as the parameter.

Works like a charm. Now the next part is actuall polling the dir where the PP files are so if there are multiple files for one event they can be displayed.

I will check out the Troi stuff today.

Steve

[franklin1232]

I am fairly new to filemaker as well, but I find it's scripting very restrictive in comparision to Access's VBA. So here's what I did. I used the send message script step (windows only) to run a VB program. Open URL could work as well. It just depends what you skill set is. The command line to the program contains parameters that my app parses. My app opens the file or files needed. ex: c:acesetuplevel b Laser. It was my answer to not having a developers edition of FM and not wanting to buy a plug-in that may not exist in a year or one that needs constant maintanece from an outside vendor.

I am waiting on my copy of version 6.0. The ODBC driver should allow me to work with filemaker info in any application.

[Anatoli]

RE: I am waiting on my copy of version 6.0. The ODBC driver should allow me to work with filemaker info in any application.

I do not know about the v. 6 ODBC, but up to now it was fiasco. Check the ODBC forum.